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Culture Depends On Architecture "Of Our Own,"
Frank Lloyd Wright Tells Audience At University
Declaring that "architecture is
the blind spot of the nation," Frank
Lloyd Wright, internationally
known and perky at age 89, spoke
last night at the University Men's
Gymnasium before a near-capac-
ity house of several thousand per-
sons. Among the audience were
architects and builders from sev-
eral states and many cities of
Arkansas.
"We in this country would have
had a culture if we had archi-
tects," he said in the course of his
address. "No great culture has
ever existed without the basic cor-
nerstone of architecture. We must
have an architecture of our own
-- the sovereignty of the individual
must be expressed in our archi-
tecture, and this can be our
own."
Introduced by Dr. John T. Cald-
well, president of the University,
Mr. Wright was greeted by a
standing ovation. Again when he
left the stage after a question and
answer session, the audience rose
and applauded. He drew the lar-
gest group of listeners of any one
speaker who has appeared on the
campus, those who recall years
back asserted. Interest in his ap-
pearance was higher than at any
time since Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
velt spoke to an audience at the
school, but her appearance was in
the Student Union ballroom, which
can not take care of the crowd
which poured into the gym last night.
"What kind of architecture is for
free men?" he asked, and an-
swered his own question -- "Why,
free architecture. We have made
some progress, but not in educa-
tion. Architecture is just a de-
partment in schools, while what we
need is a university of architecture.
"Education today consists in con-
ditioning you more than enlighten-
ing you," he told his listeners, the
majority of whom were University
students.
Offers Advice
During the course of his speech,
Mr. Wright said:
"A young man should learn what
he is, what thing of value within
himself he should cherish.
"Buildings that really count
are organic buildings, and these
shine out. Why so set against the
truth of anything? Try to take
architecture into the realm of the
human spirit.
"Who has made a plan for a
city in the land of democracy?
The old city had an excuse for
being, but it is now ridiculous to
think of the plan of the old feudal
city -- but it's all we have. Why
haven't we found a way to decen-
tralize the cities?
"We (the United States) haven't
a friend in the world who is not
suspicious of us. We're scared and
they are scared of us.
"I want Architecture with a
capital 'A' to have its place in
education, in life.
"Architecture presents man --
when he builds he can't hide.
"We must know the difference
between the curious and the beau-
tiful.
"Architecture is for the young.
For the last seven years I have
been cheered because all over
the country youngsters are asking
for helpful information. This is a
great hope.
"We have a taste-built culture,
and I could have said 'idiotic'.
"We're over-scientized--going
into a blind alley--and architects
must be the ones to see a way
out.
"If it weren't for regents (of
schools) being successful business-
men, who become conservative
when they become successful, we
might get somewhere in educa-
tion.
"We must stop drifting to med-
iocrity, to conformity. We must
aspire to things which are more
excellent."
Good Word For Stone
After his arrival here yesterday
by plane from Dallas, he agreed
to an interview which was attend-
ed by a number of newspapermen
from other cities. Both press
services were represented, in addi-
tion to several out-of-town news-
papers.
E. F. Jones, who is a member
of the faculty of the department
of architecture, of which John
Williams is chairman, is a for-
mer student with Mr. Wright. Im-
portunings of the architecture de-
partment faculty members, plus
the offer of a $1,000 fee, brought
the world famous man to Fayette-
ville.
One of the questions asked at
the press conference was: "What
do you think of Ed Stone, Fayette-
ville-born architect who designed
the Brussels World Fair building,
and what is your opinion of the
building?" Mr. Wright said Stone
is a quality architect and a fine
man, but that while the Brussels
World Fair building is better than
anything else there, "it isn't as
good as it ought to be."
Mr. Wright was to leave here
today for Norman, Okla., and an
appearance at the University of
Oklahoma. He was accompanied to
Fayetteville by his friend, Wes
Peters.

Culture Depends On Architecture "Of Our Own,"
Frank Lloyd Wright Tells Audience At University
Declaring that "architecture is
the blind spot of the nation," Frank
Lloyd Wright, internationally
known and perky at age 89, spoke
last night at the University Men's
Gymnasium before a near-capac-
ity house of several thousand per-
sons. Among the audience were
architects and builders from sev-
eral states and many cities of
Arkansas.
"We in this country would have
had a culture if we had archi-
tects," he said in the course of his
address. "No great culture has
ever existed without the basic cor-
nerstone of architecture. We must
have an architecture of our own
-- the sovereignty of the individual
must be expressed in our archi-
tecture, and this can be our
own."
Introduced by Dr. John T. Cald-
well, president of the University,
Mr. Wright was greeted by a
standing ovation. Again when he
left the stage after a question and
answer session, the audience rose
and applauded. He drew the lar-
gest group of listeners of any one
speaker who has appeared on the
campus, those who recall years
back asserted. Interest in his ap-
pearance was higher than at any
time since Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
velt spoke to an audience at the
school, but her appearance was in
the Student Union ballroom, which
can not take care of the crowd
which poured into the gym last night.
"What kind of architecture is for
free men?" he asked, and an-
swered his own question -- "Why,
free architecture. We have made
some progress, but not in educa-
tion. Architecture is just a de-
partment in schools, while what we
need is a university of architecture.
"Education today consists in con-
ditioning you more than enlighten-
ing you," he told his listeners, the
majority of whom were University
students.
Offers Advice
During the course of his speech,
Mr. Wright said:
"A young man should learn what
he is, what thing of value within
himself he should cherish.
"Buildings that really count
are organic buildings, and these
shine out. Why so set against the
truth of anything? Try to take
architecture into the realm of the
human spirit.
"Who has made a plan for a
city in the land of democracy?
The old city had an excuse for
being, but it is now ridiculous to
think of the plan of the old feudal
city -- but it's all we have. Why
haven't we found a way to decen-
tralize the cities?
"We (the United States) haven't
a friend in the world who is not
suspicious of us. We're scared and
they are scared of us.
"I want Architecture with a
capital 'A' to have its place in
education, in life.
"Architecture presents man --
when he builds he can't hide.
"We must know the difference
between the curious and the beau-
tiful.
"Architecture is for the young.
For the last seven years I have
been cheered because all over
the country youngsters are asking
for helpful information. This is a
great hope.
"We have a taste-built culture,
and I could have said 'idiotic'.
"We're over-scientized--going
into a blind alley--and architects
must be the ones to see a way
out.
"If it weren't for regents (of
schools) being successful business-
men, who become conservative
when they become successful, we
might get somewhere in educa-
tion.
"We must stop drifting to med-
iocrity, to conformity. We must
aspire to things which are more
excellent."
Good Word For Stone
After his arrival here yesterday
by plane from Dallas, he agreed
to an interview which was attend-
ed by a number of newspapermen
from other cities. Both press
services were represented, in addi-
tion to several out-of-town news-
papers.
E. F. Jones, who is a member
of the faculty of the department
of architecture, of which John
Williams is chairman, is a for-
mer student with Mr. Wright. Im-
portunings of the architecture de-
partment faculty members, plus
the offer of a $1,000 fee, brought
the world famous man to Fayette-
ville.
One of the questions asked at
the press conference was: "What
do you think of Ed Stone, Fayette-
ville-born architect who designed
the Brussels World Fair building,
and what is your opinion of the
building?" Mr. Wright said Stone
is a quality architect and a fine
man, but that while the Brussels
World Fair building is better than
anything else there, "it isn't as
good as it ought to be."
Mr. Wright was to leave here
today for Norman, Okla., and an
appearance at the University of
Oklahoma. He was accompanied to
Fayetteville by his friend, Wes
Peters.